Just as in the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray, we all awake every day to the same stories from the Middle East — bombing and carnage in Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Afghanistan, and the continued denigration of women and resistance to education especially for young girls.

Isn’t it apparent by now that these countries will never embrace democracy and tolerance? Rather than sending financial aid, it might make more sense to export junked cars that can be used for car bombings and discarded tires to burn in the streets there. I bet these countries are short on these two commodities and by exporting these, we help mitigate the situation here in the U.S.

Martin Allen, Centennial

This letter was published in the Aug. 21 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

I read F. Gostic’s letter regarding the 16th Street Mall just before we left for our annual summer evening dinner and stroll on the mall. I’m pleased to report we did not see young thugs lurking in the alleys. We did experience plenty of diversity; the great spontaneous piano recitals; children of all ages having fun with their parents; sidewalk sweepers hard at work; police in quiet presence; pedicabs and horses and street musicians galore.

I’m sure the mall has issues that should be addressed, but our two-hour Friday evening, ending after 9 p.m., was beautiful, fun and not at all disturbing. This is an urban mall and definitely different from an evening in downtown Evergreen or Estes Park; be prepared and enjoy.

J. Netting, Denver

This letter was published in the Aug. 21 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

The Denver Post’s editorial opposing the merger of Yellow and Metro cab companies nailed the problem. These two companies have done everything in their power to use the doctrine of “regulated competition” to crush any potential new cab companies. When was the last time anyone in Denver complained about there being too many taxis or it being too easy to find one?

Yellow Cab and Metro Taxi are not in the business of serving the public. Their dirty secret is that they make their money from charging their drivers extortionate amounts per week for the privilege of driving for them. Only after the drivers have made enough in fares to cover the weekly charge do they get to keep a dime.

Allowing the merger would in no way benefit the public, but would give Yellow/Metro even more of a stranglehold over drivers who are not lucky enough to drive for Union or Freedom.

Steve Bain, Denver

This letter was published in the Aug. 21 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

Joie Chen, host of the new Al Jazeera America nightly news program Tonight, sits at the anchor desk in the network’s studio space at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on August 16. (Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images)

Congratulations to all the new journalists and news executives hired by Al Jazeera America with funding from Qatar. Don’t worry about those pesky reports from organizations like Human Rights Watch stating, “Qatar adjudicates family law and personal status matters in religious courts in which judges base rulings on their interpretations of Islamic law. … Family law as generally interpreted discriminates against women in matters of divorce, inheritance, and child custody … .” As Al Jazeera Denver correspondent Paul Beban said in your article, “no news organization is perfect.”

Sue Weinroth, Sedalia

This letter was published in the Aug. 21 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.